Headdress



F. WHITNEY ,iwwnpmss Dec. 14, 1948,

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 4, 1948 Patented Dec. 14, 1 948 iTED STATES PATENT OFFECE HEADDRESS Frances Whitney, Weston, Mass.

Application February 4, 1948', Serial No. 6,291

Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparel and more particularly to womens headdress and to a frame for use in making headdresses.

The trend in women's millinery fashions is away from the conventional hat which coversthe head, obscuring the contour thereof and of the coiffure, to an off-the-face headdress which will not interfere with or spoil the arrangement of the hair and/or ornaments placed thereon in keeping with present styles. Accordingly, objects of the present invention are to provide a headdress of surrealistic design which is suggestive, by elusive outline and tracery, of a hat or'headdress but Without actually embodying conventional millinery construction such as crowns, brims, etc., but which affords a support for ornaments and. other attractive decorative motif, which will be capable of endless modification without change in its basic structure, which will fit all head sizes, and which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Accordingly and as herein illustrated the headdress includes a frame which is substantially U-shaped in the form of a split band, made of plastic or other resilient material, which. has a radius of curvature smaller than the average adult head, and which is sufiiciently elastic. to be expanded to fit substantially any adult head and cling to the head by its elasticity. The aforesaid U-shaped band forms a support for one or more loops which are attached thereto, some of which stand up therefrom in different planes while others may lie substantially in the plane of the frame. When a plurality of loops are employed they are situated at different points along the U -shaped frame and subtend different chords so that they occupy different spatial positions with respect to each other. The loops may be formed of separate lengths of thin wire suchas conventional millinery wire attached at their ends to the limbs of the frame or of a single length of covered millinery wire attached at its ends and at one or more intermediate points along the frame. The frame and loops are wrapped with a covering material of decorative kind and afford supporting means for the decorative motif which may be in the form of feathers, flowers, veils, etc. Arrangement of the decorative motif on the loops in different planes and positions may be carried out in a manner to minimize the function of the loops by partially obscuring them, thereby to impart exceedingly attractive and highly complimentary effects to the coifiure without in anyway interfering with or disarranging the same. Securely to retain the frame at a given position,

2 anchoring means in theform of a comb may be attached to the bight of the frame for engagement in the coiffure.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 arepictorial illustrations of the headdress which forms the subject matter of the present inventionshown in three of its many forms Fig. 4 is a plan view of a basic part of a frame structure which is adapted to embrace the head and to hold the headdress in place;

Fig. 5' is a plan view of one of a plurality of loops which is'attached to the frame shown in Fig. 4 having applied thereto decorative motif in the form of a feather and broken away in part to show the attachment of the feather to the loop;

Fig. 6' is a plan view of a section of covering material for application to the frame and loops;

Fig. '7 is a transverse vertical section on the line 1--l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a bow for attachment to the frame;

Fig. 9 a plan view of a comb attached to the frame which assists in securing the frame in place;

Fig. m ls a section on the line lll-l0 of'Fi'g; 9 showing the way in which the comb is attached to the frame;

Fig. if is a perspective view of the frame togetherwith the loops of wire for supporting the decorative motif of the type illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 12' is a top view looking down on the frame shown in 11;

Fig. 13 is a vertical front elevation of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the frame for the headdress shown in Fig. 2

Fig. I5 is a side elevation of the frame shown in Fig. 14 with the frame tipped to a nearly vertical position;

Fig41'6 is a perspective view of the frame illustrated in 3; and

l't'isa fragmentary section of wire of which the frames are made wrapped with a covering material.

Referring to the figures, there is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 three forms of headdress constructed in accordance with the present. invention, these headdgesses being designated respectively [0, I 0" and I The headdress of the type illustrated in Fig. 1 has a basic frame 12 which is shown in Figs. 11, 1'2 and 13. This basic frame I2 is comprised of a 3 substantially U-shaped member I4 made of a plastic which has considerable natural resilience and springiness and which has a radius of curvature which is less than the radius of curvature of the normal adult head so that when the limbs I6 of the frame are expanded and it is placed on the head, it clings thereto. While the frame as illustrated is made of plastic, it is within the scope of the invention to make it of any suitable resilient material such as metal, rubber, wood, etc. To this U-shaped frame I4 there is attached a superstructure in the form of one, two or more generally circular loops of wire I8 and 20, the loops being so situated that they stand upwardly from the plane of the frame being inclined to the vertical and lying in different planes with respect to each other. As illustrated in Figs. 11, 12 and 13, the loops I8 and 20 are formed by a single length of covered millinery wire W, one end of which is attached to one limb I6 by one or more windings 24, is then coiled to form the loop l8 and brought back into engagement with the same limb I3 where it is again attached by a winding 26. From this point the wire extends forwardly in a larger loop 26 and transversely, subtending the chord between the limbs, as shown in Fig. 12 where the opposite end of the wire is then attached by winding 28 to opposite limb I6. As will be apparent from Fig. 13 which is a front elevation, the loop I8 inclines from left to right and lies in a plane which is substantially tangent to the limb to which it is fixed while the loop 20 inclines generally from right to left and lies in a plane which extends transversely of the limbs thus occupying different spatial positions relative to each other. The continuousness of the wire gives the effect of a spiral or helix and also, because of the out-of-plane arrangement of the loops, the effect of depth and perspective. The" ll-shaped frame I4 and the wire W of which the loops are formed are wrapped with a suitable strip material 30, Figs. 6, 7 and 17, which may be grosgrain ribbon to afford a spiral effect. In fact, any suitable material may be employed with which a decorative and pleasing effect may be had, as, for example, velvet, velveteen and other pile fabrics, corded silk, satin, lam, ruching, twisted yarns of natural or artificial fibers, flexible glass threads, spun metal such as gold and silver thread, braided yarns and straw either as individual stalks or combined in twisted or braided strands. The colors and structure of the ribbon or other material with which the frame is wrapped will of course be chosen with reference to the general make-up of the headpiece. In one form of the invention, the ribbon as shown in Fig. 6 has at its opposite parallel edges a selvedge 34 which is of a diiferent hue from the pile 32 and when this is wound on the frame and/or loops of wire as shown in Fig. 17, an exaggerated spiral effect may be produced. When the u-shaped frame and the loops of wire have been covered as pointed out above, additional decorative motif may be applied to the superstructure, for example as shown in Fig. 5, there may be attached to the smaller of the loops I'8 a feather 3B, the latter being secured to the wire by fastening the quill at a number of spaced points thereto.. This forms a ring, as shown in Fig. 1. A veil 38 in the form of a coarse netting of any suitable design and color may then be attachedat its opposite ends: at spaced points 40 to the U-shaped frame and drawn upwardly over the loops I8 and 20 and forwardly so that it falls freely from the foremost loop, Fig. 1. At

4 the points where the ends of the veil are attached there may be secured ribbons or bows 42, as shown for example in Fig. 8, to cover the points of attachment and thereby to conceal the Wiring and other means employed for securing the veil in place. To assist in securing the headdress there may be attached to the rear part of the U-shaped frame a small comb 43, as shown in Figs. 4, 9, and 10, the base of the comb being fastened by sewing or Wirin its web to the wrapping material and with its teeth extending forwardly between the limbs I6. When the headdress is placed on the head the U-shaped frame may be situated at substantially any angle so as to cause the loops of wire to occupy any desired position, and once its position has been established the comb may be inserted into the coiifure to hold this position. As is shown in Fig. 1, the U-shaped frame would embrace the top of the head extending thereacross and down- Wardly toward the ears, and in this position the loops I8 and 20 lie'in a generally slanting plane inclined downwardly over the right side and forward portion'of the forehead.

The headdress shown in Fig. 2 is of substantially the same basic structure as shown in Figs. 11, l2 and 13. That is, it comprises a U-shaped member I4, Fig. 14, made of plastic as is the frame employed in the headdress shown in Fig. 1. This frame departs in structure from the previous headdress in that the superstructure is comprised of two loops 48 and 50 of somewhat different shape and contour subtending different chords of the frame and occupying different spatial positions with respect to each other. The loop 48 is bent at 52 on opposite sides to provide substantially lateral leg portions 54 and is then bent atpoints 561:0 form attaching legs 58, these latter legs being fastened near the ends of the limbs It by windings 60. The second loop 50 is attached rearwardly of the first loop 48 and has near its opposite 'ends bent portions 62 forming lateral legs 64, and bent portions 66 forming attaching legs 68, and is attached by wrappings 10 which anchor the attaching legs 58 to limbs I6. As thus constructed the lateral leg. portions 54 and 64 project substantially at right angles to the limbs It and the loops 48 and 50 subtend the frame I4 and are connected to the outer ends of the leg portions. The frame and loops are then wrapped with a suitable ribbon, for example a velvet, to afford a decorative appearance and there is then applied, as shown in Fig. 15, a veil of suitable mesh. The rear edge of the veil is fastened to the U-shaped member I4 and then is drawn forwardly over the loops 50 and 48 so that it hangs down at the front at I4. The velvet applied to the loops 48 and 50 affords sufiicient friction so that the veil will cling to the frame and not easily be disarranged. A number of bows made of ribbon of corresponding or contrasting color may be fastened to the U-shaped frame to conceal the fastenings which secure the veil in place. As in the prior headdress a comb may be attached to the bight of the frame I4.

The headdress shown in Fig. 3 is likewise made up on a basic U-shaped frame l4, as illustrated in Fig. 16. In this case there are attached to the limbs IB'of the frame I4 a pair of loops I6 and 18, these loops being arranged so that they lie in the plane of the U-shaped frame extending rearwardly of the bight thereof. Rising upwardly from the planeof the U-shaped frame are additional loops of wire 80, 82 and 84, the latter being spaced in the order mentioned from the ends of the limbs l6 rearwardly to subtend different chords and are attached together with the loops l6 and i 8 by spaced wrappings 86. The U-shaped frame It and the loops attached thereto are all wrapped with suitable covering material which may be of like or contrasting colors to afford a satisfactory and suitable effect, and this frame may be worn as such without other decorative motif, affording a futuristic effect. However, a veil 38 or netting may be draped over the frame, as shown in Fig. 3, and attached thereto by a suitable bow or other attaching means so as to fall gracefully over the face and side of the head of the wearer. A comb may be attached to the bight of the frame for the purpose described heretofore.

In all of the headdresses described the fundamental feature which is common to them is the provision of a U-shaped supporting frame which will cling to the head at substantially any position placed thereon and of a superstructure which is comprised of one, two or more loops of wire arranged in different planes and at different angles and of different sizes so as to provide a depth or perspective effect to which decorative motif may be applied so as to lie in different spatial positions with respect to each other. Since the loops of wire are quite thin, the outline afforded by them after being covered is suggestive of a hat or hat brim without actually embodying the conventional hat crown. An advantage of avoiding the conventional hat crown and yet giving the effect of a conventional hat is to permit its use with the more elaborate hair arrangements without spoiling or disarranging them. Since each different headdress will fit every head, other advantages are to simplify the manufacture by avoiding the necessity of making many different sizes, eliminating the need for numerous size head blocks and such operations as steaming, shrinking, ironing, etc., which while necessary to conventional hat manufacture are time-consuming, tedious and expensive.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a headdress a substantially U-shaped resilient frame member for engagement with the head, said frame member forming a support for a plurality of loops directly attached to the limbs of the frame member, said loops being situated in different planes, and attached at different points along the limbs of the frame member in advance of the bight thereof so that they occupy different spatial positions with respect to each other.

2. In a headdress a substantially U-shaped resilient frame member for engagement with the head, said frame member forming a support for a plurality of loops of wire directly attached to the limbs of the frame member and attached at different points along the frame member in advance of the bight thereof, one of said loops of wire rising upwardly in a substantially circular curve from the plane of the frame member in a plane substantially tangent to one of the limbs and the other loop of wire rising upwardly in a helix from said one limb, crossing over the gap between the limbs and descending to the other limb, so that said loops occupy different spatial positions with respect to each other.

3. In a headdress a substantially U-shaped resilient frame for engagement with the head, said frame member having a radius of curvature which is less than that of the average adult head, and forming a support for a plurality of loops of Wire all of which are directly attached to the limbs of the frame member, and attached at different points along the limbs of the frame member in advance of the bight thereof so that they occupy different spatial positions with respect to each other, a group of said loops rising from the plane of the frame member at different angles so that the planes of the loops within the group diverge and a second group of the loops the planes of which lie substantially in the plane of the frame member and extending rearwardly of the bight thereof, the loops in each group being of different size and arranged so that they appear to be substantially concentric.

l. In a headdress a substantially U-shaped resilient frame for engagement with the head, said frame member forming a support for a plurality of loops of wire directly attached to the limbs of the frame member and attached at different points along the limbs of the frame member in advance of the bight thereof so that they occupy different spatial positions with respect to each other and are inclined to the plane of the frame, each of said loops having substantially straight lengths of wire extending outwardly from the limbs substantially at right angles thereto, and curved lengths of wire subtending the frame and connected to the outer ends of the outwardly extending lengths of wire.

5. In a headdress a substantially U-shaped resilient frame member having a radius of curvature which is less than that of the average adult head, for engagement with the head, said frame member forming a support for a superstructure fastened to the frame member, said superstructure being comprised of thin wires bent to conform to a given geometrical shape directly attached to the limbs of the frame member and attached at different points along the limbs of the frame member in advance of the bight thereof so that they occupy different spatial positions with respect to each other, said thin wires being of suificient stiffness to support decorative motif attached thereto above the frame and in different spatial positions both transversely and longitudinally of the frame member.

FRANCES WHITNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Great Britain Nov. 11, 1911 

